Treaty about Accession of Crimea and Sevastopol signed in Moscow to Standing Ovations as Putin Drew Red Line for NATO

Putin receives standing ovation as he welcomes Crimea and Sevastopol and draws red line for NATO. “Please remain seated and witness the signing ceremony”, he responded.

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) :Russia and Crimea have signed a treaty of accession of the Republic Crimea and the city of Sevastopol into the Russian Federation. The signing ceremony followed an address by Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, to the Russian Parliament, the people of Russia and the now Russian Crimea and Sevastopol. Welcoming Crimea and Sevastopol back to Russia, Putin drew unequivocal red lines with regard to NATO’s eastward expansion, threats and double standards, followed by standing ovations.

A full packed parliament in Moscow and Celebrations in the streets of Crimea.

Putin delivered his speech to the parliament in a full-packed house, in the presence of MPs, as well as Russian, Crimean and international dignitaries. At the signing ceremony, the Republic Crimea was represented by Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksenov and Sevastopol Mayor Aleksey Chaly, who were accompanied by Crimean top-official Vladimir Konstantinov. Part of the accession treaty reads:

Since the adoption by the Russian Federation, of the Republic of Crimea, into the structure of the Russian Federation, two new entities, The Republic of Crimea, and the City of Federal Importance, Sevastopol, have been created.

The document has been sent to Russia’s Constitutional Court for approval, where after it will be ratified by the Russian Parliament and the Parliament of the Republic Crimea.

President Putin held a historic speech before the full packed house of parliament in the presence of Russian MPs, Crimean delegates, as well as Russian and foreign dignitaries. Putin received standing ovations when he greeted Crimea and Sevastopol back home to Russia.

Putin denounced the post-coup government in Kiev and the Western powers who supported the coup. He stressed the fact that Western powers overtly supported Fascists and Neo-Nazis in Ukraine who carried out terrorism, backed by the same Western powers.

Putin reached out to the Ukraine and Kiev, stressing that Russia wants friendly relations with Ukraine and Ukrainians. He stressed their common cultural heritage and described Kiev as the mother city of Russia, from where the Russian culture originated.

Putin denounced NATO and its members for breaching all and every agreement with Russia, adding that when Russia complains, it is condescendingly told, that “It’s none of your business”. He added, “can you imagine greeting NATO soldiers in the streets of Sevastopol? I mean, not on a visit, but stationed there?”

He stressed that the NATO’s expansion eastward, in the Black Sea; NATO’s broken promises with regard to not stationing NATO troops in former Soviet republics; NATO’s involvement in Georgia; NATO’s broken promises with regard to the deployment of missile batteries in Europe; and other of NATO’s expansions are a direct threat to the security of the Russian Federation.

Putin blasted NATO and its members for its utter disregard for international law and its interpretation of it however it pleases them. He stressed NATO’s wars against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq without approval from the UN Security Council and in violation of international law. “The European City of Belgrade was bombed for more than one month”, he stressed.

He added that NATO misuses Security Council resolutions, as it was the case with UNSC Resolution 1973 (2011) on Libya. Putin stressed that NATO had been authorized to implement a no-fly-zone. Instead of implementing a no-fly-zone, as authorized, NATO engaged in a protracted bombing campaign that devastated the country and brought about “regime change. ”

Courtesy of: RIA Novosti / Sergey Gumeev

Putin stressed that people in Libya had justified aspirations, such as the people in the Ukraine and Crimea have legitimate and justified aspirations. “But”, Putin added, “NATO has turned the Arab Spring into an Arab Winter”, and the people in Kiev have been betrayed by terrorists who murdered protesters and police officers alike.

Putin received several ovations and a standing ovation at the end of his speech, to which he responded “please remain in your seats to witness the signing ceremony”.

Ch/L – nsnbc 18.03.2014

Full speech by President Putin plus signing ceremony. The translator for the TV channel has slightly “softened” some parts of President Putin’s speech. The article above, will give the reader an impression of when and where. I hope that I have rectified some of that what was lost in the translation. – Christof Lehmann.

Read more from our coverage of the Ukraine and Crimea with news, analysis and opinion, in nsnbc international – your daily, independent online newspaper.

About the Author

Christof Lehmann - Dr. Christof Lehmann is the founder and editor of nsnbc. He is a psychologist and former independent political consultant on conflict, conflict resolution and a wide range of other political issues.
In March 2013 he established nsnbc as a daily, independent, international on-line newspaper. He can be contacted at nsnbc international at nsnbc.wordpress@gmail.com